Here is the second chapter of my story "Show Me You Love, Forever"
I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and again, let me know what you think and thank you so much to those who have reviewed already and to those of you who have favorited, alerted and so on. I am glad you are enjoying it!
The story is not going to be exactly like Beauty and the Beast. Just so you all know.
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroshitsuji or Beauty and the Beast.
Show Me You Love Me, Forever
Kuroshitsuji / Beauty and the Beast
Chapter II: Detailed Instructions
xMiss Shizaya Michealisx
I squinted my eyes as I looked in to the darkness that was Undertaker's shop. An all too familiar cloaked figure glided into the light coming from the dusty stained windows on either side of the shop door.
I remember first arriving at Undertaker's place after the fire in my home. Undertaker had been associated with my family for years, apparently, and had been a great source of information for the Queen's watchdogs, the Phantomhives.
My predecessor never informed me of anything though. I guess I was too young for that. So Undertaker was left to tell me everything when I showed up at his shop.
The 'strange man in black' would often visit my own home late at night. Many strange people did, but usually after I was taken to the bed. Sometimes, I liked to leave my room in secret and wander the silent hallways. It was nice to do so. I was used to being on my own as I was the only child. Elizabeth would often visit for the day. But when she left, it was back to the normal routine. If I was lucky, I would catch a glimpse of the strangers leaving the Billiard room, a room my father had forbidden me to enter.
Undertaker's place had creeped me out, along with the man himself of course. It had taken me some time before I could remotely attempt to trust him.
"Good morning, Undertaker." I greeted the man as I stepped over an open black coffin.
"Little Phantomhive." He chuckled back at me and beckoned me forwards towards him with his long black nails he often used to poke at my cheeks.
"Undertaker, I heard gossip from the town's people. You will be expecting a visit from a Mr. Hendricks sometime soon." I crossed the room to him and almost tripped over a rag that had obviously been tossed aside when a shrill cry of laughter erupted from his lips.
"Ah that fat old carcass!" Undertaker bellowed, unable to catch his breath as he doubled over, "It's about time he met his maker, don't you think?" He wheezed, clutching at his sides, as if the situation of someone's death was completely hilarious in every aspect.
"Undertaker!" I semi-scolded, but was too busy reaching for his urn of biscuits I had closely acquainted myself with.
"Ah~ sorry, little Phantomhive. Do you happen know how he met his end?" he asked excitedly, doing his best not to giggle behind his palm. He reached out a bony finger and grabbed the urn from my hands. He waved another disapproving finger at me. I was hungry for a snack, what did he expect? I'll admit that I was small, but I was still a bit of a pig when it came to food, especially sweets, "No more for you. We don't want you getting fat like Mr. Hendricks now, do we~?"
I rolled my eyes to Heaven, if there was one, "Supposedly, he went off horse riding down the trail through Burnham Forest. He apparently acquired a new horse. So I guess he wanted to get used to it and so on." I mumbled boredly and shrugged my shoulders.
"As you do." Undertaker added, dipping his long slender fingers into the urn and pulling out a bone shaped biscuit and munching on it.
"As you do." I agreed, "I overheard Ms. Fisher talking to Sarah from the Bakery. She said that when Mr. Hendricks arrived back in town, he seemed confused and disoriented and kept shouting at no one in particular. She had called up to him if he was alright but he didn't seem to recognize her. She then said that his son was passing and that he managed to calm his father. He died due to shock. That's what they said but I'm guessing he died of a heart attack. Undertaker?" I looked to the grey haired man who had gone deathly quiet all of a sudden, "Undertaker?" There was a horrible silence as I watched Undertaker cautiously, getting myself ready if this was to be one of his little jokes to suddenly burst out into a hysterical fit.
"Did you say Burnham Forest?" The man suddenly spoke, "Do you have any idea what is out there, my boy?" He brushed his bangs from his eyes as they glowed with a yellow and green hue. They were quite captivating. But I couldn't ignore how strangely out of character he was being. He never showed his eyes to anyone. He showed them to no one. I shrugged dumbly and waited for an explanation. More silence. It seemed like Undertaker was having an internal argument with himself before he finally shouted, in my face might I add, "Business!" Again, there was another howl of laughter.
I stared stupidly at him like some moron, "Business?"
What?
"Yes, Ciel. Business. Beyond Burnham Forest and down the path lies the town of Stokeham and guess what?"
"What?" I mumbled.
"There has just been a big 'accident' with many lives lost."
"And how do you know this?"
"News travels fast plus I also have my sources." He answered gleefully, as if he knew something I didn't, "Their church was set alight. They don't know who the culprit is but all they know is that many were in that Church. Men, women and especially many children. Now what do you suggest they bury their dead in, hm~?"
I listened in silence.
Many people had died the way my parents had. Normally I don't get emotionally involved with the many "customers" that arrive at Undertaker's shop, but this felt extremely different.
"A coffin, perhaps?" I mused sarcastically. Before I knew it, he had me pinned back against a rather freezing cold black coffin. The mad man was laughing into my neck while gurgling out something incomprehensible. I wanted to move out from under his weight but he crushed me backwards into the silk lining of the black coffin that had been placed upright against the wall. He obviously still didn't respect my personal bubble I had made him well aware of. It's not good for Undertaker to get excited like this. Not that I was concerned for him, more like was concerned for my own well-being. I tried struggling but it was no use. I really didn't see why he would get excited about the deaths of these unfortunate people. I tend to not pity others, or show sympathy for that matter. But the loss of those poeple, especially children... even I found it cruel.
"Exactly! But guess what?"
"Enlighten me."
"Stokeham doesn't have an Undetaker!" he guffawed, "So~ that means that you will journey to that town and see how many coffins they will need, okay~?" he bit down on his biscuit and pushed himself off me, but not before he licked my cheek. Wierd I know but I stopped asking questions after the first few hundred times.
Using the back of my hand, I wiped at my cheek and inwardly cringed. With my other hand, I dusted off my coat and sent him a glare, "You can't be serious."
"Oh but I am deadly serious."
"B-but that forest... It's dangerous!" I whined. I know I'm a boy but there's still weirdo's out there that wouldn't mind what gender I am as long as they can get some. I shivered at the thought, "Undertaker, there are wolves and all sorts lurking in that place. What if some creep snatches me?" For some reason that served only as fuel to spark yet another fit of hysterics from the maniac I call an uncle, "From your little outbursts, Undertaker," I hissed, "I would gather that you would think it funny for me to get kidnapped by a creeper!"
"What an interesting thought!" He screeched out through a mixture of laughter and gasps, trying to catch a breath of oxygen. They say fifteen seconds of laughter a day adds another whole day on to your life. At this rate, Undertaker will surely live for an eternity.
"What?" I muttered incredulously, "How can you say that?" I deadpanned and mumbled about how much of an inconsiderate twit Undertaker could be.
"I have my trusted Shire horse ready for your journey, Ciel. I would have sent you on the donkey," he cackled, going into another fit of laughter. I tapped my foot and gritted my teeth, "but... fufu!"
"For God's sake, Undertaker!"
"I have a feeling you would have refused it, am I correct~?"
I rasied a brow in response.
"Philipe has been tacked up. He's out the back." he informed me, looking the direction of the dark corridor that was currently out of few due to a giant dusty curtain that served as a makeshift door, "I want you to go to their local Doctor's practice and ask how many are deceased. Make sure you don't forget the number, Ciel, or I will make you go back." Undertaker warned me as I dreaded this stupid journey I was being forced to go on. I saw him snatch a black cloak from behind the curtain in the hallway and wander back with it, "I want you to wear this." he said, handind it to me, "I've also made you up a small bag of food in case you get hungry and an apple for the horse."
As if food could make me feel any better about this. My glare never faltered.
"You won't get lost." he chuckled, "Just make sure you follow the path and you should be fine. But whatever you do, Ciel," he grabbed my collar and brought me up to his level, hence why I began to choke, "do not, under any circumstances, lose sight of the path... or you're screwed~" he sang.
"I'll bear that in mind, Undertaker." I choked out. I then coughed in his face. Good.
He led me outside to where his "trusted horse" was grazing on whatever speck of grass it found in the garden and I blanched. From the size of it, I would think that this horse has found manydozens of specks of grass. I clambered up on the fence beside it with Undertaker's help and managed to haul my leg over and into the stirrup. I settled myself into the saddle. If this beast of a horse freaked and I fell off, I'm sure I'd probably die due to falling from such a height. Me and horses don't go well together. I had quite a fear of them.
"Ciel, if you canter, you are sure to make it in at least two or maybe three hours but I doubt this horse could take two of continuous canter. Be easy on him. You might get there before dark. I have a friend of mine there. He goes by the name Kurt Sutton. Ask around for him and when you find him, tell him that Undertaker sent you."
I wasn't happy about this. Any friend of Undertaker was sure to be loopy, like himself, "Fine." I muttered.
"And Phantomhive~?"
I looked down at him as I gathered the reins, "Yes, Undertaker?"
He took my hand in his, his fingers coiling around my own and gently squeezed them, "Promise me you'll be careful."
"With your detailed instructions, Undertaker, I doubt any harm could come my way." I offered him a plastered on smile. Of course, I was being sarcastic.
He chuckled, letting go of my hand, which I noticed he did rather reluctantly, "Glad to hear it, Phantomhive."
With that, he smacked the horse's behind and off it flew, with me flailing like an idiot and holding onto the reins for dear life. I steadied my breathing as I collected the horse. Horse riding wasn't my thing but I could do it, kind of. It just takes time for me to remember to keep my head on. I decided not to start the horse off into canter until I got to the entrance of the forest.
I let my mind think back to what Undertaker had said about those people who had died in that fire in the church. He had said that many of them had just been children. Albeit they were younger than me. They had probably gone for a school mass. How people could set alight to a holy place like that... It turned my stomach. I wasn't one to go to chruch, nor was I religious either. In fact, I believed it was a load of nonsense prattle.
Philipe and myself reached the entrance of the forest pretty quickly, much to my surprise. I slowed the horse's trot to a walk to observe the entrance. I looked up to the sky and was thankful it was still day time at least. The last time I checked it was half two. I don't think anyone would want to get caught out here in the dark. I gently kicked Philipe onwards and all the while reluctant to do so.
That's it for the second chapter. Please R&R ^^